1
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Ward C, Beharry A, Tennakoon R, Rozik P, Wilhelm SDP, Heinemann IU, O’Donoghue P. Mechanisms and Delivery of tRNA Therapeutics. Chem Rev 2024; 124:7976-8008. [PMID: 38801719 PMCID: PMC11212642 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.4c00142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) therapeutics will provide personalized and mutation specific medicines to treat human genetic diseases for which no cures currently exist. The tRNAs are a family of adaptor molecules that interpret the nucleic acid sequences in our genes into the amino acid sequences of proteins that dictate cell function. Humans encode more than 600 tRNA genes. Interestingly, even healthy individuals contain some mutant tRNAs that make mistakes. Missense suppressor tRNAs insert the wrong amino acid in proteins, and nonsense suppressor tRNAs read through premature stop signals to generate full length proteins. Mutations that underlie many human diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, cancers, and diverse rare genetic disorders, result from missense or nonsense mutations. Thus, specific tRNA variants can be strategically deployed as therapeutic agents to correct genetic defects. We review the mechanisms of tRNA therapeutic activity, the nature of the therapeutic window for nonsense and missense suppression as well as wild-type tRNA supplementation. We discuss the challenges and promises of delivering tRNAs as synthetic RNAs or as gene therapies. Together, tRNA medicines will provide novel treatments for common and rare genetic diseases in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cian Ward
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Aruun Beharry
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Rasangi Tennakoon
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Peter Rozik
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Sarah D. P. Wilhelm
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Ilka U. Heinemann
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Patrick O’Donoghue
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
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2
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Stewart RK, Nguyen P, Laederach A, Volkan PC, Sawyer JK, Fox DT. Orb2 enables rare-codon-enriched mRNA expression during Drosophila neuron differentiation. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5270. [PMID: 38902233 PMCID: PMC11190236 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48344-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Regulation of codon optimality is an increasingly appreciated layer of cell- and tissue-specific protein expression control. Here, we use codon-modified reporters to show that differentiation of Drosophila neural stem cells into neurons enables protein expression from rare-codon-enriched genes. From a candidate screen, we identify the cytoplasmic polyadenylation element binding (CPEB) protein Orb2 as a positive regulator of rare-codon-dependent mRNA stability in neurons. Using RNA sequencing, we reveal that Orb2-upregulated mRNAs in the brain with abundant Orb2 binding sites have a rare-codon bias. From these Orb2-regulated mRNAs, we demonstrate that rare-codon enrichment is important for mRNA stability and social behavior function of the metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR). Our findings reveal a molecular mechanism by which neural stem cell differentiation shifts genetic code regulation to enable critical mRNA stability and protein expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebeccah K Stewart
- Department of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Regeneration Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Patrick Nguyen
- Department of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Alain Laederach
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | - Jessica K Sawyer
- Department of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Regeneration Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Donald T Fox
- Department of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke Regeneration Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
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3
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Kapur M, Molumby MJ, Guzman C, Heinz S, Ackerman SL. Cell-type-specific expression of tRNAs in the brain regulates cellular homeostasis. Neuron 2024; 112:1397-1415.e6. [PMID: 38377989 PMCID: PMC11065635 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.01.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Defects in tRNA biogenesis are associated with multiple neurological disorders, yet our understanding of these diseases has been hampered by an inability to determine tRNA expression in individual cell types within a complex tissue. Here, we developed a mouse model in which RNA polymerase III is conditionally epitope tagged in a Cre-dependent manner, allowing us to accurately profile tRNA expression in any cell type in vivo. We investigated tRNA expression in diverse nervous system cell types, revealing dramatic heterogeneity in the expression of tRNA genes between populations. We found that while maintenance of levels of tRNA isoacceptor families is critical for cellular homeostasis, neurons are differentially vulnerable to insults to distinct tRNA isoacceptor families. Cell-type-specific translatome analysis suggests that the balance between tRNA availability and codon demand may underlie such differential resilience. Our work provides a platform for investigating the complexities of mRNA translation and tRNA biology in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mridu Kapur
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; The Howard Hughes Medical Institute
| | - Michael J Molumby
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; The Howard Hughes Medical Institute
| | - Carlos Guzman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Bioinformatics & Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Sven Heinz
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Bioinformatics & Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Susan L Ackerman
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; The Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Department of Neurobiology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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4
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Tomaz da Silva P, Zhang Y, Theodorakis E, Martens LD, Yépez VA, Pelechano V, Gagneur J. Cellular energy regulates mRNA degradation in a codon-specific manner. Mol Syst Biol 2024; 20:506-520. [PMID: 38491213 PMCID: PMC11066088 DOI: 10.1038/s44320-024-00026-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Codon optimality is a major determinant of mRNA translation and degradation rates. However, whether and through which mechanisms its effects are regulated remains poorly understood. Here we show that codon optimality associates with up to 2-fold change in mRNA stability variations between human tissues, and that its effect is attenuated in tissues with high energy metabolism and amplifies with age. Mathematical modeling and perturbation data through oxygen deprivation and ATP synthesis inhibition reveal that cellular energy variations non-uniformly alter the effect of codon usage. This new mode of codon effect regulation, independent of tRNA regulation, provides a fundamental mechanistic link between cellular energy metabolism and eukaryotic gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Tomaz da Silva
- School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
- Munich Center for Machine Learning, Munich, Germany
| | - Yujie Zhang
- Scilifelab, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Evangelos Theodorakis
- School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Laura D Martens
- School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
- Computational Health Center, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Vicente A Yépez
- School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Vicent Pelechano
- Scilifelab, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Julien Gagneur
- School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany.
- Computational Health Center, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany.
- Institute of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
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5
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Ghashghaei M, Liu Y, Ettles J, Bombaci G, Ramkumar N, Liu Z, Escano L, Miko SS, Kim Y, Waldron JA, Do K, MacPherson K, Yuen KA, Taibi T, Yue M, Arsalan A, Jin Z, Edin G, Karsan A, Morin GB, Kuchenbauer F, Perna F, Bushell M, Vu LP. Translation efficiency driven by CNOT3 subunit of the CCR4-NOT complex promotes leukemogenesis. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2340. [PMID: 38491013 PMCID: PMC10943099 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46665-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein synthesis is frequently deregulated during tumorigenesis. However, the precise contexts of selective translational control and the regulators of such mechanisms in cancer is poorly understood. Here, we uncovered CNOT3, a subunit of the CCR4-NOT complex, as an essential modulator of translation in myeloid leukemia. Elevated CNOT3 expression correlates with unfavorable outcomes in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). CNOT3 depletion induces differentiation and apoptosis and delayed leukemogenesis. Transcriptomic and proteomic profiling uncovers c-MYC as a critical downstream target which is translationally regulated by CNOT3. Global analysis of mRNA features demonstrates that CNOT3 selectively influences expression of target genes in a codon usage dependent manner. Furthermore, CNOT3 associates with the protein network largely consisting of ribosomal proteins and translation elongation factors in leukemia cells. Overall, our work elicits the direct requirement for translation efficiency in tumorigenesis and propose targeting the post-transcriptional circuitry via CNOT3 as a therapeutic vulnerability in AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Ghashghaei
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Yilin Liu
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - James Ettles
- CRUK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Giuseppe Bombaci
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Niveditha Ramkumar
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Zongmin Liu
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Leo Escano
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Sandra Spencer Miko
- Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Yerin Kim
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada
- Bioinformatics program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Joseph A Waldron
- CRUK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Kim Do
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kyle MacPherson
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Katie A Yuen
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Thilelli Taibi
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Marty Yue
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Aaremish Arsalan
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Zhen Jin
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Glenn Edin
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Aly Karsan
- Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Gregg B Morin
- Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Florian Kuchenbauer
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Fabiana Perna
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, Moffit Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Martin Bushell
- CRUK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Ly P Vu
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada.
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6
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Hong T, Pan R, Ke J, Luo Y, Hao Y, Chen L, Tu D, Dai Y, Chen T, Chen S. Expression, purification, and enzymatic characterization of an extracellular protease from Halococcus salifodinae. Braz J Microbiol 2023; 54:2689-2703. [PMID: 37661213 PMCID: PMC10689711 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-023-01114-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular proteases from halophilic archaea displays increased enzymatic activities in hypersaline environment. In this study, an extracellular protease-coding gene, hly34, from the haloarchaeal strain Halococcus salifodinae PRR34, was obtained through homologous search. The protease activity produced by this strain at 20% NaCl, 42 °C, and pH 7.0 was 32.5 ± 0.5 (U·mL-1). The codon-optimized hly34 which is specific for Escherichia coli can be expressed in E. coli instead of native hly34. It exhibits proteolytic activity under a wide range of low- or high-salt concentrations, slightly acidic or alkaline conditions, and slightly higher temperatures. The Hly34 presented the highest proteolytic activity at 50 °C, pH 9.0, and 0-1 M NaCl. It was found that the Hly34 showed a higher enzyme activity under low-salt conditions. Hly34 has good stability at different NaCl concentrations (1-4 M) and pH (6.0-10.0), as well as good tolerance to some metal ions. However, at 60 °C, the stability is reduced. It has a good tolerance to some metal ions. The proteolytic activity was completely inhibited by phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride, suggesting that the Hly34 is a serine protease. This study further deepens our understanding of haloarchaeal extracellular protease, most of which found in halophilic archaea are classified as serine proteases. These proteases exhibit a certain level of alkaline resistance and moderate heat resistance, and they may emerge with higher activity under low-salt conditions than high-salt conditions. The protease Hly34 is capable of degrading a number of proteins, including substrate proteins, such as azocasein, whey protein and casein. It has promising applications in industrial production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Hong
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Ruru Pan
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Juntao Ke
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Yuqing Luo
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Yuling Hao
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Liangzhong Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Demei Tu
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Yongpei Dai
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Tingting Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Shaoxing Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 10010, China.
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7
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Zhao Y, Coelho C, Hughes AL, Lazar-Stefanita L, Yang S, Brooks AN, Walker RSK, Zhang W, Lauer S, Hernandez C, Cai J, Mitchell LA, Agmon N, Shen Y, Sall J, Fanfani V, Jalan A, Rivera J, Liang FX, Bader JS, Stracquadanio G, Steinmetz LM, Cai Y, Boeke JD. Debugging and consolidating multiple synthetic chromosomes reveals combinatorial genetic interactions. Cell 2023; 186:5220-5236.e16. [PMID: 37944511 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.09.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
The Sc2.0 project is building a eukaryotic synthetic genome from scratch. A major milestone has been achieved with all individual Sc2.0 chromosomes assembled. Here, we describe the consolidation of multiple synthetic chromosomes using advanced endoreduplication intercrossing with tRNA expression cassettes to generate a strain with 6.5 synthetic chromosomes. The 3D chromosome organization and transcript isoform profiles were evaluated using Hi-C and long-read direct RNA sequencing. We developed CRISPR Directed Biallelic URA3-assisted Genome Scan, or "CRISPR D-BUGS," to map phenotypic variants caused by specific designer modifications, known as "bugs." We first fine-mapped a bug in synthetic chromosome II (synII) and then discovered a combinatorial interaction associated with synIII and synX, revealing an unexpected genetic interaction that links transcriptional regulation, inositol metabolism, and tRNASerCGA abundance. Finally, to expedite consolidation, we employed chromosome substitution to incorporate the largest chromosome (synIV), thereby consolidating >50% of the Sc2.0 genome in one strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhao
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Camila Coelho
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Amanda L Hughes
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Genome Biology Unit, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Luciana Lazar-Stefanita
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Sandy Yang
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Aaron N Brooks
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Genome Biology Unit, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Roy S K Walker
- School of Engineering, Institute for Bioengineering, the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF
| | - Weimin Zhang
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Stephanie Lauer
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Cindy Hernandez
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jitong Cai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Leslie A Mitchell
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Neta Agmon
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Yue Shen
- BGI, Shenzhen, Beishan, Industrial Zone, Shenzhen 518083, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Genome Read and Write, BGI, Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518120, China
| | - Joseph Sall
- Microscopy Laboratory, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Viola Fanfani
- School of Biological Sciences, the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF
| | - Anavi Jalan
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jordan Rivera
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Feng-Xia Liang
- Microscopy Laboratory, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Joel S Bader
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | | | - Lars M Steinmetz
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Genome Biology Unit, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Genetics and Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Yizhi Cai
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, the University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
| | - Jef D Boeke
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, New York, NY 11201, USA.
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8
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Anastassiadis T, Köhrer C. Ushering in the era of tRNA medicines. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105246. [PMID: 37703991 PMCID: PMC10583094 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Long viewed as an intermediary in protein translation, there is a growing awareness that tRNAs are capable of myriad other biological functions linked to human health and disease. These emerging roles could be tapped to leverage tRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers, therapeutic targets, or even as novel medicines. Furthermore, the growing array of tRNA-derived fragments, which modulate an increasingly broad spectrum of cellular pathways, is expanding this opportunity. Together, these molecules offer drug developers the chance to modulate the impact of mutations and to alter cell homeostasis. Moreover, because a single therapeutic tRNA can facilitate readthrough of a genetic mutation shared across multiple genes, such medicines afford the opportunity to define patient populations not based on their clinical presentation or mutated gene but rather on the mutation itself. This approach could potentially transform the treatment of patients with rare and ultrarare diseases. In this review, we explore the diverse biology of tRNA and its fragments, examining the past and present challenges to provide a comprehensive understanding of the molecules and their therapeutic potential.
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9
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Hallee L, Rafailidis N, Gleghorn JP. cdsBERT - Extending Protein Language Models with Codon Awareness. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.15.558027. [PMID: 37745387 PMCID: PMC10516008 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.15.558027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Recent advancements in Protein Language Models (pLMs) have enabled high-throughput analysis of proteins through primary sequence alone. At the same time, newfound evidence illustrates that codon usage bias is remarkably predictive and can even change the final structure of a protein. Here, we explore these findings by extending the traditional vocabulary of pLMs from amino acids to codons to encapsulate more information inside CoDing Sequences (CDS). We build upon traditional transfer learning techniques with a novel pipeline of token embedding matrix seeding, masked language modeling, and student-teacher knowledge distillation, called MELD. This transformed the pretrained ProtBERT into cdsBERT; a pLM with a codon vocabulary trained on a massive corpus of CDS. Interestingly, cdsBERT variants produced a highly biochemically relevant latent space, outperforming their amino acid-based counterparts on enzyme commission number prediction. Further analysis revealed that synonymous codon token embeddings moved distinctly in the embedding space, showcasing unique additions of information across broad phylogeny inside these traditionally "silent" mutations. This embedding movement correlated significantly with average usage bias across phylogeny. Future fine-tuned organism-specific codon pLMs may potentially have a more significant increase in codon usage fidelity. This work enables an exciting potential in using the codon vocabulary to improve current state-of-the-art structure and function prediction that necessitates the creation of a codon pLM foundation model alongside the addition of high-quality CDS to large-scale protein databases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan Hallee
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Delaware
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10
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Stewart RK, Nguyen P, Laederach A, Volkan PC, Sawyer JK, Fox DT. Orb2 enables rare-codon-enriched mRNA expression during Drosophila neuron differentiation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.26.550700. [PMID: 37546801 PMCID: PMC10402044 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.26.550700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Regulation of codon optimality is an increasingly appreciated layer of cell- and tissue-specific protein expression control. Here, we use codon-modified reporters to show that differentiation of Drosophila neural stem cells into neurons enables protein expression from rare-codon-enriched genes. From a candidate screen, we identify the cytoplasmic polyadenylation element binding (CPEB) protein Orb2 as a positive regulator of rare-codon-dependent expression in neurons. Using RNA sequencing, we reveal that Orb2-upregulated mRNAs in the brain with abundant Orb2 binding sites have a rare-codon bias. From these Orb2-regulated mRNAs, we demonstrate that rare-codon enrichment is important for expression control and social behavior function of the metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR). Our findings reveal a molecular mechanism by which neural stem cell differentiation shifts genetic code regulation to enable critical mRNA and protein expression.
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11
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Yang C, Peng Z, Yang L, Du B, Guo C, Sui S, Wang J, Li J, Wang J, Li N. Design and application of artificial rare L-lysine codons in Corynebacterium glutamicum. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1194511. [PMID: 37324439 PMCID: PMC10268032 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1194511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: L-lysine is widely used in the feed, food, and pharmaceutical industries, and screening for high L-lysine-producing strains has become a key goal for the industry. Methods: We constructed the rare L-lysine codon AAA by corresponding tRNA promoter replacement in C. glutamicum. Additionally, a screening marker related to the intracellular L-lysine content was constructed by converting all L-lysine codons of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) into the artificial rare codon AAA. The artificial EGFP was then ligated into pEC-XK99E and transformed into competent Corynebacterium glutamicum 23604 cells with the rare L-lysine codon. After atmospheric and room-temperature plasma mutation and induction culture, 55 mutants (0.01% of total cells) with stronger fluorescence were sorted using flow cytometry, and further screened by fermentation in a 96-deep-well plate and 500 mL shaker. Results: The fermentation results showed that the L-lysine production was increased by up to 9.7% in the mutant strains with higher fluorescence intensities, and that the highest screening positive rate was 69%, compared with that in the wild-type strain. Conclusion: The application of artificially constructed rare codons in this study represents an efficient, accurate, and simple method for screening other amino acid-producing microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuiping Yang
- Department of Biological Engineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, China
| | - Zehao Peng
- Department of Biological Engineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, China
| | - Lu Yang
- Department of Biological Engineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, China
| | - Bowen Du
- Department of Biological Engineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, China
| | | | - Songsen Sui
- Zhucheng Dongxiao Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Zhucheng, China
| | - Jianbin Wang
- Zhucheng Dongxiao Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Zhucheng, China
| | - Junlin Li
- Zhucheng Dongxiao Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Zhucheng, China
| | - Junqing Wang
- Department of Biological Engineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking (LBMP), Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, China
| | - Nan Li
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
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12
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Ras protein abundance correlates with Ras isoform mutation patterns in cancer. Oncogene 2023; 42:1224-1232. [PMID: 36864243 PMCID: PMC10079525 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02638-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Activating mutations of Ras genes are often observed in cancer. The protein products of the three Ras genes are almost identical. However, for reasons that remain unclear, KRAS is far more frequently mutated than the other Ras isoforms in cancer and RASopathies. We have quantified HRAS, NRAS, KRAS4A and KRAS4B protein abundance across a large panel of cell lines and healthy tissues. We observe consistent patterns of KRAS > NRAS»HRAS protein expression in cells that correlate with the rank order of Ras mutation frequencies in cancer. Our data provide support for the model of a sweet-spot of Ras dosage mediating isoform-specific contributions to cancer and development. We suggest that in most cases, being the most abundant Ras isoform correlates with occupying the sweet-spot and that HRAS and NRAS expression is usually insufficient to promote oncogenesis when mutated. However, our results challenge the notion that rare codons mechanistically underpin the predominance of KRAS mutant cancers. Finally, direct measurement of mutant versus wildtype KRAS protein abundance revealed a frequent imbalance that may suggest additional non-gene duplication mechanisms for optimizing oncogenic Ras dosage.
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13
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Watt KE, Macintosh J, Bernard G, Trainor PA. RNA Polymerases I and III in development and disease. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 136:49-63. [PMID: 35422389 PMCID: PMC9550887 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Ribosomes are macromolecular machines that are globally required for the translation of all proteins in all cells. Ribosome biogenesis, which is essential for cell growth, proliferation and survival, commences with transcription of a variety of RNAs by RNA Polymerases I and III. RNA Polymerase I (Pol I) transcribes ribosomal RNA (rRNA), while RNA Polymerase III (Pol III) transcribes 5S ribosomal RNA and transfer RNAs (tRNA) in addition to a wide variety of small non-coding RNAs. Interestingly, despite their global importance, disruptions in Pol I and Pol III function result in tissue-specific developmental disorders, with craniofacial anomalies and leukodystrophy/neurodegenerative disease being among the most prevalent. Furthermore, pathogenic variants in genes encoding subunits shared between Pol I and Pol III give rise to distinct syndromes depending on whether Pol I or Pol III function is disrupted. In this review, we discuss the global roles of Pol I and III transcription, the consequences of disruptions in Pol I and III transcription, disorders arising from pathogenic variants in Pol I and Pol III subunits, and mechanisms underpinning their tissue-specific phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin En Watt
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Julia Macintosh
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Child Health and Human Development Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Geneviève Bernard
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Child Health and Human Development Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada; Departments of Pediatrics and Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Specialized Medicine, Division of Medical Genetics, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Paul A Trainor
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA; Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.
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14
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Benisty H, Hernandez-Alias X, Weber M, Anglada-Girotto M, Mantica F, Radusky L, Senger G, Calvet F, Weghorn D, Irimia M, Schaefer MH, Serrano L. Genes enriched in A/T-ending codons are co-regulated and conserved across mammals. Cell Syst 2023; 14:312-323.e3. [PMID: 36889307 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2023.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Codon usage influences gene expression distinctly depending on the cell context. Yet, the importance of codon bias in the simultaneous turnover of specific groups of protein-coding genes remains to be investigated. Here, we find that genes enriched in A/T-ending codons are expressed more coordinately in general and across tissues and development than those enriched in G/C-ending codons. tRNA abundance measurements indicate that this coordination is linked to the expression changes of tRNA isoacceptors reading A/T-ending codons. Genes with similar codon composition are more likely to be part of the same protein complex, especially for genes with A/T-ending codons. The codon preferences of genes with A/T-ending codons are conserved among mammals and other vertebrates. We suggest that this orchestration contributes to tissue-specific and ontogenetic-specific expression, which can facilitate, for instance, timely protein complex formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Benisty
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain.
| | - Xavier Hernandez-Alias
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Marc Weber
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Miquel Anglada-Girotto
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Federica Mantica
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Leandro Radusky
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Gökçe Senger
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO) IRCCS, Via Adamello 16, Milan 20139, Italy
| | - Ferriol Calvet
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Donate Weghorn
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Manuel Irimia
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain; ICREA, Pg. Lluis Companys 23, Barcelona 08010, Spain
| | - Martin H Schaefer
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO) IRCCS, Via Adamello 16, Milan 20139, Italy
| | - Luis Serrano
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona 08003, Spain; ICREA, Pg. Lluis Companys 23, Barcelona 08010, Spain.
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15
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Gurjar P, Karuvantevida N, Rzhepakovsky IV, Khan AA, Khandia R. A Synthetic Biology Approach for Vaccine Candidate Design against Delta Strain of SARS-CoV-2 Revealed Disruption of Favored Codon Pair as a Better Strategy over Using Rare Codons. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11020487. [PMID: 36851364 PMCID: PMC9967482 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11020487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 delta variant (B.1.617.2) appeared for the first time in December 2020 and later spread worldwide. Currently available vaccines are not so efficacious in curbing the viral pathogenesis of the delta strain of COVID; therefore, the development of a safe and effective vaccine is required. In the present study, we envisaged molecular patterns in the structural genes' spike, nucleoprotein, membrane, and envelope of the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant. The study was based on determining compositional features, dinucleotide odds ratio, synonymous codon usage, positive and negative codon contexts, rare codons, and insight into relatedness between the human host isoacceptor tRNA and preferred codons from the structural genes. We found specific patterns, including a significant abundance of T nucleotide over all other three nucleotides. The underrepresentation of GpA, GpG, CpC, and CpG dinucleotides and the overrepresentation of TpT, ApA, CpT, and TpG were observed. A preference towards ACT- (Thr), AAT- (Asn), TTT- (Phe), and TTG- (Leu) initiated codons and aversion towards CGG (Arg), CCG (Pro), and CAC (His) was present in the structural genes of the delta strain. The interaction between the host tRNA pool and preferred codons of the envisaged structural genes revealed that the virus preferred the codons for those suboptimal numbers of isoacceptor tRNA were present. We see this as a strategy adapted by the virus to keep the translation rate low to facilitate the correct folding of viral proteins. The information generated in the study helps design the attenuated vaccine candidate against the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant using a synthetic biology approach. Three strategies were tested: changing TpT to TpA, introducing rare codons, and disrupting favored codons. It found that disrupting favored codons is a better approach to reducing virus fitness and attenuating SARS-CoV-2 delta strain using structural genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pankaj Gurjar
- Department of Science and Engineering, Novel Global Community Educational Foundation, Hebersham, NSW 2770, Australia
| | - Noushad Karuvantevida
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai P.O. Box 505055, United Arab Emirates
| | | | - Azmat Ali Khan
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: (A.A.K.); or (R.K.)
| | - Rekha Khandia
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, Barkatullah Universty, Bhopal 462026, India
- Correspondence: (A.A.K.); or (R.K.)
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16
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Wang Z, Wang C, Zhang Y, Liu S, Cheng Y, Wang S, Xia P, Hao L. Porcine IGF-1R synonymous mutations in the extracellular domain affect proliferation and differentiation of skeletal muscle cells. Gene 2023; 854:147098. [PMID: 36496177 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.147098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Miniature pigs are considered ideal organ donors for xenotransplantation in humans, but the mechanism underlying their dwarfism remains to be elucidated. IGF-1R is a crucial factor in body size formation in mammals, including skeletal muscle formation and development. The extracellular domain (ECD) binds to the ligand, a phenomenon that results in the activation of downstream pathways. METHODS In this study, the coding sequences of two IGF-1R ECD haplotypes of the large Landrace (LP) pig and the small Bama Xiang (BM) pig were cloned into pcDNA3.1 vectors to generate pcDNA3.1-LP and pcDNA3.1-BM. The two recombinant vectors were then transfected into skeletal muscle cells. RESULTS IGF-1R transcript was found to be expressed at higher levels in the pcDNA3.1-LP group than in the pcDNA3.1-BM group. The IGF-1R ECD from LP promoted cell proliferation and CyclinD1 expression, and promoted the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (to yield p-AKT). Moreover, the IGF-1R ECD from LP increased cell differentiation and the expression of myogenic determination factor (MyoD). CONCLUSION Our data indicated that the IGF-1R ECD haplotypes between pig breeds with different body sizes affect IGF-1R expression, in turn affecting the proliferation and differentiation of skeletal muscle cells by activating downstream signalling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoguo Wang
- College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130061, China
| | - Chunli Wang
- College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130061, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130061, China
| | - Songcai Liu
- College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130061, China.
| | - Yunyun Cheng
- Ministry of Health Key Laboratory of Radiobiology, College of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130061, China
| | - Siyao Wang
- College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130061, China
| | - Peijun Xia
- College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130061, China
| | - Linlin Hao
- College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130061, China.
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17
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Hallee L, Khomtchouk BB. Machine learning classifiers predict key genomic and evolutionary traits across the kingdoms of life. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2088. [PMID: 36747072 PMCID: PMC9902438 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28965-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we investigate how an organism's codon usage bias can serve as a predictor and classifier of various genomic and evolutionary traits across the domains of life. We perform secondary analysis of existing genetic datasets to build several AI/machine learning models. When trained on codon usage patterns of nearly 13,000 organisms, our models accurately predict the organelle of origin and taxonomic identity of nucleotide samples. We extend our analysis to identify the most influential codons for phylogenetic prediction with a custom feature ranking ensemble. Our results suggest that the genetic code can be utilized to train accurate classifiers of taxonomic and phylogenetic features. We then apply this classification framework to open reading frame (ORF) detection. Our statistical model assesses all possible ORFs in a nucleotide sample and rejects or deems them plausible based on the codon usage distribution. Our dataset and analyses are made publicly available on GitHub and the UCI ML Repository to facilitate open-source reproducibility and community engagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan Hallee
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19713, USA
| | - Bohdan B Khomtchouk
- Department of BioHealth Informatics, Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
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18
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Martin S, Allan KC, Pinkard O, Sweet T, Tesar PJ, Coller J. Oligodendrocyte differentiation alters tRNA modifications and codon optimality-mediated mRNA decay. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5003. [PMID: 36008413 PMCID: PMC9411196 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32766-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Oligodendrocytes are specialized cells that confer neuronal myelination in the central nervous system. Leukodystrophies associated with oligodendrocyte deficits and hypomyelination are known to result when a number of tRNA metabolism genes are mutated. Thus, for unknown reasons, oligodendrocytes may be hypersensitive to perturbations in tRNA biology. In this study, we survey the tRNA transcriptome in the murine oligodendrocyte cell lineage and find that specific tRNAs are hypomodified in oligodendrocytes within or near the anticodon compared to oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). This hypomodified state may be the result of differential expression of key modification enzymes during oligodendrocyte differentiation. Moreover, we observe a concomitant relationship between tRNA hypomodification and tRNA decoding potential; observing oligodendrocyte specific alterations in codon optimality-mediated mRNA decay and ribosome transit. Our results reveal that oligodendrocytes naturally maintain a delicate, hypersensitized tRNA/mRNA axis. We suggest this axis is a potential mediator of pathology in leukodystrophies and white matter disease when further insult to tRNA metabolism is introduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Martin
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Kevin C Allan
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Otis Pinkard
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Thomas Sweet
- Center for Proteomics and Bioinformatics, Department of Nutrition, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Paul J Tesar
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Jeff Coller
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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19
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Rossi R, Fang M, Zhu L, Jiang C, Yu C, Flesia C, Nie C, Li W, Ferlini A. Calculating and comparing codon usage values in rare disease genes highlights codon clustering with disease-and tissue- specific hierarchy. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0265469. [PMID: 35358230 PMCID: PMC8970475 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We designed a novel strategy to define codon usage bias (CUB) in 6 specific small cohorts of human genes. We calculated codon usage (CU) values in 29 non-disease-causing (NDC) and 31 disease-causing (DC) human genes which are highly expressed in 3 distinct tissues, kidney, muscle, and skin. We applied our strategy to the same selected genes annotated in 15 mammalian species. We obtained CUB hierarchical clusters for each gene cohort which showed tissue-specific and disease-specific CUB fingerprints. We showed that DC genes (especially those expressed in muscle) display a low CUB, well recognizable in codon hierarchical clustering. We defined the extremely biased codons as "zero codons" and found that their number is significantly higher in all DC genes, all tissues, and that this trend is conserved across mammals. Based on this calculation in different gene cohorts, we identified 5 codons which are more differentially used across genes and mammals, underlining that some genes have favorite synonymous codons in use. Since of the muscle genes clear clusters, and, among these, dystrophin gene surprisingly does not show any "zero codon" we adopted a novel approach to study CUB, we called "mapping-on-codons". We positioned 2828 dystrophin missense and nonsense pathogenic variations on their respective codon, highlighting that its frequency and occurrence is not dependent on the CU values. We conclude our strategy consents to identify a hierarchical clustering of CU values in a gene cohort-specific fingerprints, with recognizable trend across mammals. In DC muscle genes also a disease-related fingerprint can be observed, allowing discrimination between DC and NDC genes. We propose that using our strategy which studies CU in specific gene cohorts, as rare disease genes, and tissue specific genes, may provide novel information about the CUB role in human and medical genetics, with implications on synonymous variations interpretation and codon optimization algorithms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachele Rossi
- Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
- Dubowitz Neuromuscular Unit, Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Lin Zhu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- BGI College & Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | | | - Cong Yu
- BGI Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Cristina Flesia
- Department of Earth and Environment Science, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | | | | | - Alessandra Ferlini
- Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
- Dubowitz Neuromuscular Unit, Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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20
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Brümmer A, Dreos R, Marques AC, Bergmann S. Analysis of eukaryotic lincRNA sequences indicates signatures of hindered translation linked to selection pressure. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 39:6460347. [PMID: 34897509 PMCID: PMC8826458 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs) represent a large fraction of transcribed loci in eukaryotic genomes. Although classified as noncoding, most lincRNAs contain open reading frames (ORFs), and it remains unclear why cytoplasmic lincRNAs are not or very inefficiently translated. Here, we analyzed signatures of hindered translation in lincRNA sequences from five eukaryotes, covering a range of natural selection pressures. In fission yeast and Caenorhabditis elegans, that is, species under strong selection, we detected significantly shorter ORFs, a suboptimal sequence context around start codons for translation initiation, and trinucleotides (“codons”) corresponding to less abundant tRNAs than for neutrally evolving control sequences, likely impeding translation elongation. For human, we detected signatures for cell-type-specific hindrance of lincRNA translation, in particular codons in abundant cytoplasmic lincRNAs corresponding to lower expressed tRNAs than control codons, in three out of five human cell lines. We verified that varying tRNA expression levels between cell lines are reflected in the amount of ribosomes bound to cytoplasmic lincRNAs in each cell line. We further propose that codons at ORF starts are particularly important for reducing ribosome-binding to cytoplasmic lincRNA ORFs. Altogether, our analyses indicate that in species under stronger selection lincRNAs evolved sequence features generally hindering translation and support cell-type-specific hindrance of translation efficiency in human lincRNAs. The sequence signatures we have identified may improve predicting peptide-coding and genuine noncoding lincRNAs in a cell type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anneke Brümmer
- Department of Computational Biology (DBC), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Rene Dreos
- Center for Integrative Genomics (CIG), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ana Claudia Marques
- Department of Computational Biology (DBC), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sven Bergmann
- Department of Computational Biology (DBC), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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21
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Li Y, Wang R, Wang H, Pu F, Feng X, Jin L, Ma Z, Ma XX. Codon Usage Bias in Autophagy-Related Gene 13 in Eukaryotes: Uncovering the Genetic Divergence by the Interplay Between Nucleotides and Codon Usages. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:771010. [PMID: 34804999 PMCID: PMC8602353 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.771010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Synonymous codon usage bias is a universal characteristic of genomes across various organisms. Autophagy-related gene 13 (atg13) is one essential gene for autophagy initiation, yet the evolutionary trends of the atg13 gene at the usages of nucleotide and synonymous codon remains unexplored. According to phylogenetic analyses for the atg13 gene of 226 eukaryotic organisms at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, it is clear that their nucleotide usages exhibit more genetic information than their amino acid usages. Specifically, the overall nucleotide usage bias quantified by information entropy reflected that the usage biases at the first and second codon positions were stronger than those at the third position of the atg13 genes. Furthermore, the bias level of nucleotide ‘G’ usage is highest, while that of nucleotide ‘C’ usage is lowest in the atg13 genes. On top of that, genetic features represented by synonymous codon usage exhibits a species-specific pattern on the evolution of the atg13 genes to some extent. Interestingly, the codon usages of atg13 genes in the ancestor animals (Latimeria chalumnae, Petromyzon marinus, and Rhinatrema bivittatum) are strongly influenced by mutation pressure from nucleotide composition constraint. However, the distributions of nucleotide composition at different codon positions in the atg13 gene display that natural selection still dominates atg13 codon usages during organisms’ evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yicong Li
- Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Rui Wang
- Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Huihui Wang
- Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Feiyang Pu
- Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xili Feng
- Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Li Jin
- Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zhongren Ma
- Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Xia Ma
- Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, China
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22
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Morris C, Cluet D, Ricci EP. Ribosome dynamics and mRNA turnover, a complex relationship under constant cellular scrutiny. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2021; 12:e1658. [PMID: 33949788 PMCID: PMC8519046 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic gene expression is closely regulated by translation and turnover of mRNAs. Recent advances highlight the importance of translation in the control of mRNA degradation, both for aberrant and apparently normal mRNAs. During translation, the information contained in mRNAs is decoded by ribosomes, one codon at a time, and tRNAs, by specifically recognizing codons, translate the nucleotide code into amino acids. Such a decoding step does not process regularly, with various obstacles that can hinder ribosome progression, then leading to ribosome stalling or collisions. The progression of ribosomes is constantly monitored by the cell which has evolved several translation-dependent mRNA surveillance pathways, including nonsense-mediated decay (NMD), no-go decay (NGD), and non-stop decay (NSD), to degrade certain problematic mRNAs and the incomplete protein products. Recent progress in sequencing and ribosome profiling has made it possible to discover new mechanisms controlling ribosome dynamics, with numerous crosstalks between translation and mRNA decay. We discuss here various translation features critical for mRNA decay, with particular focus on current insights from the complexity of the genetic code and also the emerging role for the ribosome as a regulatory hub orchestrating mRNA decay, quality control, and stress signaling. Even if the interplay between mRNA translation and degradation is no longer to be demonstrated, a better understanding of their precise coordination is worthy of further investigation. This article is categorized under: RNA Turnover and Surveillance > Regulation of RNA Stability Translation > Translation Regulation RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > RNA-Protein Complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christelle Morris
- Laboratory of Biology and Modeling of the CellUniversité de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard, CNRS UMR 5239, Inserm U1293LyonFrance
| | - David Cluet
- Laboratory of Biology and Modeling of the CellUniversité de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard, CNRS UMR 5239, Inserm U1293LyonFrance
| | - Emiliano P. Ricci
- Laboratory of Biology and Modeling of the CellUniversité de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard, CNRS UMR 5239, Inserm U1293LyonFrance
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23
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Gillen SL, Waldron JA, Bushell M. Codon optimality in cancer. Oncogene 2021; 40:6309-6320. [PMID: 34584217 PMCID: PMC8585667 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-02022-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A key characteristic of cancer cells is their increased proliferative capacity, which requires elevated levels of protein synthesis. The process of protein synthesis involves the translation of codons within the mRNA coding sequence into a string of amino acids to form a polypeptide chain. As most amino acids are encoded by multiple codons, the nucleotide sequence of a coding region can vary dramatically without altering the polypeptide sequence of the encoded protein. Although mutations that do not alter the final amino acid sequence are often thought of as silent/synonymous, these can still have dramatic effects on protein output. Because each codon has a distinct translation elongation rate and can differentially impact mRNA stability, each codon has a different degree of 'optimality' for protein synthesis. Recent data demonstrates that the codon preference of a transcriptome matches the abundance of tRNAs within the cell and that this supply and demand between tRNAs and mRNAs varies between different cell types. The largest observed distinction is between mRNAs encoding proteins associated with proliferation or differentiation. Nevertheless, precisely how codon optimality and tRNA expression levels regulate cell fate decisions and their role in malignancy is not fully understood. This review describes the current mechanistic understanding on codon optimality, its role in malignancy and discusses the potential to target codon optimality therapeutically in the context of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Gillen
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK.
| | - Joseph A Waldron
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK
| | - Martin Bushell
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK.
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK, G61 1QH.
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Gillen SL, Giacomelli C, Hodge K, Zanivan S, Bushell M, Wilczynska A. Differential regulation of mRNA fate by the human Ccr4-Not complex is driven by coding sequence composition and mRNA localization. Genome Biol 2021; 22:284. [PMID: 34615539 PMCID: PMC8496106 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-021-02494-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Regulation of protein output at the level of translation allows for a rapid adaptation to dynamic changes to the cell's requirements. This precise control of gene expression is achieved by complex and interlinked biochemical processes that modulate both the protein synthesis rate and stability of each individual mRNA. A major factor coordinating this regulation is the Ccr4-Not complex. Despite playing a role in most stages of the mRNA life cycle, no attempt has been made to take a global integrated view of how the Ccr4-Not complex affects gene expression. RESULTS This study has taken a comprehensive approach to investigate post-transcriptional regulation mediated by the Ccr4-Not complex assessing steady-state mRNA levels, ribosome position, mRNA stability, and protein production transcriptome-wide. Depletion of the scaffold protein CNOT1 results in a global upregulation of mRNA stability and the preferential stabilization of mRNAs enriched for G/C-ending codons. We also uncover that mRNAs targeted to the ER for their translation have reduced translational efficiency when CNOT1 is depleted, specifically downstream of the signal sequence cleavage site. In contrast, translationally upregulated mRNAs are normally localized in p-bodies, contain disorder-promoting amino acids, and encode nuclear localized proteins. Finally, we identify ribosome pause sites that are resolved or induced by the depletion of CNOT1. CONCLUSIONS We define the key mRNA features that determine how the human Ccr4-Not complex differentially regulates mRNA fate and protein synthesis through a mechanism linked to codon composition, amino acid usage, and mRNA localization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Gillen
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK
- MRC Toxicology Unit, Lancaster Road, Leicester, LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Chiara Giacomelli
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK
| | - Kelly Hodge
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK
| | - Sara Zanivan
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Martin Bushell
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK.
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| | - Ania Wilczynska
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK.
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
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Anaerobic Fungal Mevalonate Pathway Genomic Biases Lead to Heterologous Toxicity Underpredicted by Codon Adaptation Indices. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9091986. [PMID: 34576881 PMCID: PMC8468974 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9091986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Anaerobic fungi are emerging biotechnology platforms with genomes rich in biosynthetic potential. Yet, the heterologous expression of their biosynthetic pathways has had limited success in model hosts like E. coli. We find one reason for this is that the genome composition of anaerobic fungi like P. indianae are extremely AT-biased with a particular preference for rare and semi-rare AT-rich tRNAs in E coli, which are not explicitly predicted by standard codon adaptation indices (CAI). Native P. indianae genes with these extreme biases create drastic growth defects in E. coli (up to 69% reduction in growth), which is not seen in genes from other organisms with similar CAIs. However, codon optimization rescues growth, allowing for gene evaluation. In this manner, we demonstrate that anaerobic fungal homologs such as PI.atoB are more active than S. cerevisiae homologs in a hybrid pathway, increasing the production of mevalonate up to 2.5 g/L (more than two-fold) and reducing waste carbon to acetate by ~90% under the conditions tested. This work demonstrates the bioproduction potential of anaerobic fungal enzyme homologs and how the analysis of codon utilization enables the study of otherwise difficult to express genes that have applications in biocatalysis and natural product discovery.
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Meyer D, Kames J, Bar H, Komar AA, Alexaki A, Ibla J, Hunt RC, Santana-Quintero LV, Golikov A, DiCuccio M, Kimchi-Sarfaty C. Distinct signatures of codon and codon pair usage in 32 primary tumor types in the novel database CancerCoCoPUTs for cancer-specific codon usage. Genome Med 2021; 13:122. [PMID: 34321100 PMCID: PMC8317675 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-021-00935-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gene expression is highly variable across tissues of multi-cellular organisms, influencing the codon usage of the tissue-specific transcriptome. Cancer disrupts the gene expression pattern of healthy tissue resulting in altered codon usage preferences. The topic of codon usage changes as they relate to codon demand, and tRNA supply in cancer is of growing interest. METHODS We analyzed transcriptome-weighted codon and codon pair usage based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) RNA-seq data from 6427 solid tumor samples and 632 normal tissue samples. This dataset represents 32 cancer types affecting 11 distinct tissues. Our analysis focused on tissues that give rise to multiple solid tumor types and cancer types that are present in multiple tissues. RESULTS We identified distinct patterns of synonymous codon usage changes for different cancer types affecting the same tissue. For example, a substantial increase in GGT-glycine was observed in invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), and mixed invasive ductal and lobular carcinoma (IDLC) of the breast. Change in synonymous codon preference favoring GGT correlated with change in synonymous codon preference against GGC in IDC and IDLC, but not in ILC. Furthermore, we examined the codon usage changes between paired healthy/tumor tissue from the same patient. Using clinical data from TCGA, we conducted a survival analysis of patients based on the degree of change between healthy and tumor-specific codon usage, revealing an association between larger changes and increased mortality. We have also created a database that contains cancer-specific codon and codon pair usage data for cancer types derived from TCGA, which represents a comprehensive tool for codon-usage-oriented cancer research. CONCLUSIONS Based on data from TCGA, we have highlighted tumor type-specific signatures of codon and codon pair usage. Paired data revealed variable changes to codon usage patterns, which must be considered when designing personalized cancer treatments. The associated database, CancerCoCoPUTs, represents a comprehensive resource for codon and codon pair usage in cancer and is available at https://dnahive.fda.gov/review/cancercocoputs/ . These findings are important to understand the relationship between tRNA supply and codon demand in cancer states and could help guide the development of new cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Meyer
- Hemostasis Branch, Division of Plasma Protein Therapeutics, Office of Tissues and Advanced Therapies, Center for Biologics Evaluation & Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Jacob Kames
- Hemostasis Branch, Division of Plasma Protein Therapeutics, Office of Tissues and Advanced Therapies, Center for Biologics Evaluation & Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Haim Bar
- Department of Statistics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Anton A Komar
- Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Disease, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Aikaterini Alexaki
- Hemostasis Branch, Division of Plasma Protein Therapeutics, Office of Tissues and Advanced Therapies, Center for Biologics Evaluation & Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Juan Ibla
- Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ryan C Hunt
- Hemostasis Branch, Division of Plasma Protein Therapeutics, Office of Tissues and Advanced Therapies, Center for Biologics Evaluation & Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Luis V Santana-Quintero
- High-performance Integrated Virtual Environment, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Anton Golikov
- High-performance Integrated Virtual Environment, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Michael DiCuccio
- National Center of Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Chava Kimchi-Sarfaty
- Hemostasis Branch, Division of Plasma Protein Therapeutics, Office of Tissues and Advanced Therapies, Center for Biologics Evaluation & Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
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Whittle CA, Kulkarni A, Chung N, Extavour CG. Adaptation of codon and amino acid use for translational functions in highly expressed cricket genes. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:234. [PMID: 33823803 PMCID: PMC8022432 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07411-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND For multicellular organisms, much remains unknown about the dynamics of synonymous codon and amino acid use in highly expressed genes, including whether their use varies with expression in different tissue types and sexes. Moreover, specific codons and amino acids may have translational functions in highly transcribed genes, that largely depend on their relationships to tRNA gene copies in the genome. However, these relationships and putative functions are poorly understood, particularly in multicellular systems. RESULTS Here, we studied codon and amino acid use in highly expressed genes from reproductive and nervous system tissues (male and female gonad, somatic reproductive system, brain and ventral nerve cord, and male accessory glands) in the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus. We report an optimal codon, defined as the codon preferentially used in highly expressed genes, for each of the 18 amino acids with synonymous codons in this organism. The optimal codons were mostly shared among tissue types and both sexes. However, the frequency of optimal codons was highest in gonadal genes. Concordant with translational selection, a majority of the optimal codons had abundant matching tRNA gene copies in the genome, but sometimes obligately required wobble tRNAs. We suggest the latter may comprise a mechanism for slowing translation of abundant transcripts, particularly for cell-cycle genes. Non-optimal codons, defined as those least commonly used in highly transcribed genes, intriguingly often had abundant tRNAs, and had elevated use in a subset of genes with specialized functions (gametic and apoptosis genes), suggesting their use promotes the translational upregulation of particular mRNAs. In terms of amino acids, we found evidence suggesting that amino acid frequency, tRNA gene copy number, and amino acid biosynthetic costs (size/complexity) had all interdependently evolved in this insect model, potentially for translational optimization. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, the results suggest a model whereby codon use in highly expressed genes, including optimal, wobble, and non-optimal codons, and their tRNA abundances, as well as amino acid use, have been influenced by adaptation for various functional roles in translation within this cricket. The effects of expression in different tissue types and the two sexes are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie A Whittle
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Arpita Kulkarni
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Nina Chung
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Cassandra G Extavour
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, 02138, MA, USA.
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Hia F, Takeuchi O. The effects of codon bias and optimality on mRNA and protein regulation. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:1909-1928. [PMID: 33128106 PMCID: PMC11072601 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-020-03685-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The central dogma of molecular biology entails that genetic information is transferred from nucleic acid to proteins. Notwithstanding retro-transcribing genetic elements, DNA is transcribed to RNA which in turn is translated into proteins. Recent advancements have shown that each stage is regulated to control protein abundances for a variety of essential physiological processes. In this regard, mRNA regulation is essential in fine-tuning or calibrating protein abundances. In this review, we would like to discuss one of several mRNA-intrinsic features of mRNA regulation that has been gaining traction of recent-codon bias and optimality. Specifically, we address the effects of codon bias with regard to codon optimality in several biological processes centred on translation, such as mRNA stability and protein folding among others. Finally, we examine how different organisms or cell types, through this system, are able to coordinate physiological pathways to respond to a variety of stress or growth conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Hia
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Osamu Takeuchi
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
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Neelagandan N, Lamberti I, Carvalho HJF, Gobet C, Naef F. What determines eukaryotic translation elongation: recent molecular and quantitative analyses of protein synthesis. Open Biol 2020; 10:200292. [PMID: 33292102 PMCID: PMC7776565 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.200292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein synthesis from mRNA is an energy-intensive and tightly controlled cellular process. Translation elongation is a well-coordinated, multifactorial step in translation that undergoes dynamic regulation owing to cellular state and environmental determinants. Recent studies involving genome-wide approaches have uncovered some crucial aspects of translation elongation including the mRNA itself and the nascent polypeptide chain. Additionally, these studies have fuelled quantitative and mathematical modelling of translation elongation. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the key determinants of translation elongation. We discuss consequences of ribosome stalling or collision, and how the cells regulate translation in case of such events. Next, we review theoretical approaches and widely used mathematical models that have become an essential ingredient to interpret complex molecular datasets and study translation dynamics quantitatively. Finally, we review recent advances in live-cell reporter and related analysis techniques, to monitor the translation dynamics of single cells and single-mRNA molecules in real time.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Felix Naef
- Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
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Mutation bias within oncogene families is related to proliferation-specific codon usage. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:30848-30856. [PMID: 33199641 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2016119117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
It is well known that in cancer gene families some members are more frequently mutated in tumor samples than their family counterparts. A paradigmatic case of this phenomenon is KRAS from the RAS family. Different explanations have been proposed ranging from differential interaction with other proteins to preferential expression or localization. Interestingly, it has been described that despite the high amino acid identity between RAS family members, KRAS employs an intriguing differential codon usage. Here, we found that this phenomenon is not exclusive to the RAS family. Indeed, in the RAS family and other oncogene families with two or three members, the most prevalently mutated gene in tumor samples employs a differential codon usage that is characteristic of genes involved in proliferation. Prompted by these observations, we chose the RAS family to experimentally demonstrate that the translation efficiency of oncogenes that are preferentially mutated in tumor samples is increased in proliferative cells compared to quiescent cells. These results were further validated by assessing the translation efficiency of KRAS in cell lines that differ in their tRNA expression profile. These differences are related to the cell division rate of the studied cells and thus suggest an important role in context-specific oncogene expression regulation. Altogether, our study demonstrates that dynamic translation programs contribute to shaping the expression profiles of oncogenes. Therefore, we propose this codon bias as a regulatory layer to control cell context-specific expression and explain the differential prevalence of mutations in certain members of oncogene families.
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31
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Ghosh S, Guimaraes JC, Lanzafame M, Schmidt A, Syed AP, Dimitriades B, Börsch A, Ghosh S, Mittal N, Montavon T, Correia AL, Danner J, Meister G, Terracciano LM, Pfeffer S, Piscuoglio S, Zavolan M. Prevention of dsRNA-induced interferon signaling by AGO1x is linked to breast cancer cell proliferation. EMBO J 2020; 39:e103922. [PMID: 32812257 PMCID: PMC7507497 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2019103922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 06/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Translational readthrough, i.e., elongation of polypeptide chains beyond the stop codon, was initially reported for viral RNA, but later found also on eukaryotic transcripts, resulting in proteome diversification and protein‐level modulation. Here, we report that AGO1x, an evolutionarily conserved translational readthrough isoform of Argonaute 1, is generated in highly proliferative breast cancer cells, where it curbs accumulation of double‐stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) and consequent induction of interferon responses and apoptosis. In contrast to other mammalian Argonaute protein family members with primarily cytoplasmic functions, AGO1x exhibits nuclear localization in the vicinity of nucleoli. We identify AGO1x interaction with the polyribonucleotide nucleotidyltransferase 1 (PNPT1) and show that the depletion of this protein further augments dsRNA accumulation. Our study thus uncovers a novel function of an Argonaute protein in buffering the endogenous dsRNA‐induced interferon responses, different than the canonical function of AGO proteins in the miRNA effector pathway. As AGO1x expression is tightly linked to breast cancer cell proliferation, our study thus suggests a new direction for limiting tumor growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souvik Ghosh
- Computational and Systems Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Joao C Guimaraes
- Computational and Systems Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Manuela Lanzafame
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Schmidt
- Proteomics Core Facility, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Afzal Pasha Syed
- Computational and Systems Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Beatrice Dimitriades
- Computational and Systems Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anastasiya Börsch
- Computational and Systems Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Shreemoyee Ghosh
- Computational and Systems Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nitish Mittal
- Computational and Systems Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Montavon
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, Institut de biologie moléculaire et cellulaire du CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Ana Luisa Correia
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel/University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Johannes Danner
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Biology and Preclinical Medicine, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Gunter Meister
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Biology and Preclinical Medicine, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | | | - Sébastien Pfeffer
- Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, Institut de biologie moléculaire et cellulaire du CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Salvatore Piscuoglio
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel/University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mihaela Zavolan
- Computational and Systems Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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